Big East Preview: The top 10 impact freshmen for 2024-25

It’s Big East week here at On3, and we keep rolling out the content ahead of the 2024-25 college basketball season. Big East teams will have 32 true freshmen on their rosters with ten of the eleven schools carrying at least two. Opportunity can be tough to gauge at times with freshmen. There are so many variables to take into place when a player, no matter their talent level, transitions from high school to college.

In this piece, I take a look at the freshmen in the Big East. Villanova leads the way, bringing in five true freBig Eastshmen to this year’s roster while Xavier is the only team in the league without a true freshman this season.

This list is not one of the best players or the highest upside player; it is based on the potential impact, this season, of the players. Opportunity is a big factor in this list, but so is talent.

Big East Preseason Power Ranking | First and Second Team Predictions

Let’s take a look at the top o ten impact freshmen in the ACC for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

1. SF Liam McNeeley (UConn)

The Buzz: UConn had four starters drafted off last season’s national championship-winning team. Playing time will be readily available for Liam McNeeley. The five-star averaged 12.4 points over his past two seasons at Montverde (FL) Academy while shooting 44.3 percent from three. He comes to Storrs as one of the most prolific shooters in the high school 2025 class. Dan Hurley’s offense has traditionally gotten shooters clean looks. McNeeley plays with a lot of confidence and gives good effort on the defensive end. The 6-foot-7 wing should be given every opportunity to provide floor spacing to elevate the floor of this season’s Husky squad.

2. C Thomas Sorber (Georgetown)

The Buzz: Thomas Sorber is a big-bodied post player who has spent the past 12 months getting himself into shape. He has long arms, huge hands, and touch over both shoulders, showing a lot of promise as an old-school big with some new-school flashes. Sorber is a good area rebounder, cleaning up plays on the defensive glass. He can also step out and make a jump shot with his feet set, set a screen and dive to the rim or pop for the jumper, or make a read from multiple levels in the half-court. Getting his body right and accustomed to the speed of the game are both worth watching, but there are a lot of natural tools that fit in the traditional Big East with Sorber.

3. F Josiah Moseley (Villanova)

The Buzz: Josiah Moseley has an interesting game, one that creates mismatches with his strength and his skill. Not necessarily a late bloomer, but Moseley took a huge step as a senior. The 2024 Texas Gatorade State Player of the Year averaged 22.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He has an innate understanding of angles, which help him score in the half-court as well as wedge himself into position to snag rebounds. Moseley is at his best facing up from the mid-post and attacking the matchup. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 228 pounds on the roster, he has natural strength and a great motor.

4. F Damarius Owens (Marquette)

The Buzz: You immediately see the frame that Damarius Owens carries, the long arms, and the positional size. However, after watching him play, you see the instincts. While the aesthetic of the game might be a little boxy at times, he is someone who makes winning plays on both ends of the floor. He will need to clean up the shooting stroke, but he is an excellent passer and a quick processor when playing on the ball in the half-court. Owens, who is listed at 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds on the roster, is capable of defending up or down a lineup and making a play with the ball in his hands. How quickly he adjusts to the speed of the game will play a part in his success as Marquette is pretty deep at the wing position, but, with his natural feel for the game, there could be some production on the horizon.

5. F Jackson McAndrew (Creighton)

The Buzz: Jackson McAndrew’s size and his skill set are a unique combination. McAndrew’s 23.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game earned him Minnesota’s 2024 Gatorade State Player of the Year honors. Listed on the roster at 6-foot-10 and 220 pounds, McAndrew is an adept shooter, able to step into shots off the catch or knock down threes coming off various movements. He will need to continue adding strength and get adjusted to the speed of Big East play, so that will be interesting to monitor. At No. 28 overall in the 2024 On3 150, McAndrew comes to Creighton as Greg McDermott’s highest-rated player as the Bluejays head coach.

6. PG Ahmad Nowell (UConn)

The Buzz: This UConn team has depth, and it has young depth. What will be interesting will be how the point guard minutes are carved out. Ahmad Nowell is a strong and steady lead guard. He plays with a physical edge and a mental toughness in his game. While he is not the most explosive or the best shooter, what you get with him is the understanding that the point of attack will be taken care of. Adjusting to the athleticism and the speed of play in the league might take some time, but steady wins the race, and the three-time state champion and Pennsylvania 5A State Player of the Year has a long history of elevating the play of those around him.

7. SG Jaiden Glover (St. John’s)

The Buzz: Rick Pitino likes to play his older players, and this St. John’s team has a depth of wings and guards who are older. Jaiden Glover has a physically developed frame, listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds entering his freshman season. He is an instinctive defender, able to guard on or off of the ball. Offensively, Glover is skilled. Able to knock down shots with range or get clean looks off two and three-dribble pull-ups. He does not rush things, moves off the ball with opportunity does not present itself, and plays with an innate toughness. The roster has depth at Glover’s position, but he is physically ready, how quickly will the opportunity come?

8. F Matthew Hodge (Villanova)

The Buzz: Matthew Hodge steadily improved throughout his high school career. Now listed at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds as an incoming freshman, Hodge is a threat to dribble, pass, or shoot in the half-court. He plays with excellent balance and is never rushed in his game. His dad, Odell Hodge was the two-time conference Player of the Year at Old Dominion after scoring over 2,100 career points and grabbing more than 1,050 boards. There may be some pressure to win now at Villanova, but Hodge’s positional size and skill could eventually prove hard to keep off the floor.

9. SF Kayvaun Mulready (Georgetown)

The Buzz: Kayvaun Mulready is a strong and physical player. A highly productive wing, he is a good athlete whose motor consistently runs hot. This lends well on the defensive end of the floor where he uses his quick hands and anticipation to guard up a lineup. As the game slows down for him, I would expect him to see his minutes continue to grow. While the aesthetic of his game might not be great. You simply cannot downplay the consistent production he has given throughout multiple settings. His rugged style fits the old-school Big East.

10. C Oswin Erhunmwunse (Providence)

The Buzz: What Oswin Erhunmwunse brings to the table is electric pop. The 6-foot-10 post player, who reclassified after graduating high school a year early, might be the most explosive big in the 2024 high school class. He carries long arms and natural timing, making him a day-one presence on the defensive end of the floor. Erhunmwunse is newer to the game, his offensive game is still rim-running and dunker spot-oriented. He switches ends of the court quickly and gives great effort. Providence has solid depth this season, and getting caught up to the speed or processing will be interesting to track